Winter 2020 £3.00 / Volume the Irish Game Fair & Fine Food Festival WHERE TOWN & COUNTRY MEET
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ON SALE TO 31st March 2021 Irish COUNTRY SPORTS and COUNTRY LIFE 5.00 € 03 9 771476 824001 Volume 19 Number 3 Winter 2020 £3.00 / Volume The Irish Game Fair & Fine Food Festival WHERE TOWN & COUNTRY MEET Shanes Castle, Antrim 26th & 27th June 2021 The Virtual Game Fair www.thevirtualgamefair.com “The Game Fair you can visit every day” Join the thousands of visitors every week to THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR to buy from over 100 trade stands with a huge range of bargains; to get country sports news and views; or enter a superb range of competitions at the Game Fair that never closes running all day every day throughout 2020 and 2021. For info: www.thevirtualgamefair.com call TRADE STAND BOOKINGS BEING TAKEN for THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR and the 2021 IRISH GAME FAIR (see the Game Fair Video https://vimeo.com/441390765) 028 E: [email protected] or [email protected] 44839167 Tel : 028 (from ROI 048) 44839167 Irish COUNTRY SPORTS and COUNTRY LIFE Contents 4 Editorial Comment 54 Long Range .22 Rifle Shooting - By Frank Brophy 5 Countryside News 56 Achieving the ‘McNab’ - 25 THE IRISH SALMON FLY TYING An Intimate Account CHAMPIONSHIPS - TOP By Simon K Barr PRIZES - ORGANISED BY FISSTA 62 SPECIAL CHRISTMAS PRESENTS - FROM THE ‘Gun Control’ Front Cover: 26 VIRTUAL GAME FAIR By David Leyonhjelm From a painting by Simon Trinder 68 Art & Antiques - 27 The Great Atlantic Salmon By Michael Drake Conundrum - By Michael Martin, 71 Beware The Reckoning - Six Mile Water Trust Ghostly Terror from Julian Schmechel 32 Sharks, Rays and Chimeras - By Johnny Woodlock 76 Winter Boar & Teckels at Heidelberg - 36 Kayak Fishing for Bass - By Steven McGonigle By Simon Everett 82 Covid & Summer Grouse - 40 FISSTA’s News & Views By David Hudson 44 Terrier, Lurcher & Whippet 86 Review of Autumn Pointer Show Roundup - and Setter Trials - By Margaret McStay By Hugh Brady 50 In Search of the Kerry 90 Well I Never! - Beagle - A Fascinating Book It’s ‘The Back Page’ Review By Derek Fanning Managing Editor: Albert Titterington, Editor: Paul Pringle, Associate Editor: Irene Titterington Publishers: (Editorial & Advertising) Country Lifestyle Exhibitions Ltd. Cranley Hill, 5b Woodgrange Road, Hollymount, Downpatrick BT30 8JE Tel: (028) (from ROI 048) 44839167 Email: Email: [email protected] Web: www.countrysportsandcountrylife.com Printed by W.&G.Baird Distributed by Easons (Dublin), E M Distribution Also Available by Subscription ISSN No. 1476-8240 The views expressed by the contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or the publishers. Whilst every care is taken to ensure that information published is accurate and reliable, the publishers cannot be held responsible or accept liability for any errors or omissions in this pubication. ALL RIGHTS ARE RESERVED. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written consent of the owner. No liability is accepted for the safe custody of unsolicited materials and manuscripts. Publication of accepted articles is not always guaranteed and the publishers will not be held liable for any manuscripts, photographs or other materials lost or damaged while in their possession, although every care will be taken. The editor reserves the right to amend any such articles as necessary. Published in association with Ireland’s country sports and country living web portal www.countrysportsandcountrylife.com Country Sports and Country Life Editorial Comment ell, readers may have noticed public at large. The Irish Game fair has it’s an early start to the north of already that my editorial thousands of supporters who look Heidelberg for an organised hunt with Wcomment this time is no forward every year to enjoying the Teckels and Deutsch drahthaars. longer restricted to Northern Comment event set in the beautiful private estate Hugh Brady gives his personal and comes under a new heading of Shanes Castle. insight into the world of pointers and representing all aspects of the magazine. But all was not lost! The situation setters with a detailed analysis of recent But firstly, I raise my hat to Derek saw the midnight oil burnt and low and events, Simon Everett takes us bass Fanning who has held the position of behold THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR fishing, David Hudson is high in the ROI Editor for the past number of years. was launched worldwide at Scottish hills and Julian Schmeichel Derek wrote on many subjects with https://www.thevirtualgamefair.com/. gets us taking a sharp intake not breath great authority and in a manner which Since the launch date thousands of with his very latest ‘chiller’ entitled was so well received by thousands of people around the world have tuned in ‘The Reckoning,’ macabre tale where readers worldwide. His research on a to everything that a ‘real’ game fair the devil comes calling on a poor farmer huge range of country sports and other should be. It is packed with trade stands who rather rashly read some very old topics inevitably ended in a finely in the traditional game fair settings such books on witchcraft. crafted article that was a delight to read. as Gunmakers Row, Fishermans Row, Who remembers a page entitled AJ’s However, I am very pleased to be Clothing Row, Gundog Row etc. PLUS Angst? This was a page where free rein able to report that Derek will not be there is a constantly changing Bargain was given to our publisher Albert totally lost to readers of this magazine Basement which is seriously too good to Titterington to select and comment from as he intends to send us a regular article. miss. a personal perspective on topics of his What will his topics be? I have no idea Another aspect which has really gone choice. but of this I’m sure they will be in his down well is the wide range of easy to When other workloads got too much inimitable style and will be eminently enter competitions with excellent prizes. Albert decided to ‘rest’ A J’s Angst but readable. As the organisers said at its launch - with an idea of resurrecting it in some Derek, I wish you well and look ‘No tickets, no queuing. You’re only a form when he could spare the time. forward to meeting up with you again in click away from the Virtual Game Fair! Which brings us to this edition - and the very near future. Where the weather’s always just what no you will not find an Angst among the Irish Country Sports & Country Life you want it to be!’ pages. has always been keen to test new While THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR What you will find is something processes and evolve as part of the way is at www.thevirtualgamefair.com called THE BACK PAGE, a page set that the digital age and indeed as you traditionalists need not fear - pandemics aside for guest writers to express their the readers have suggested. The ability not withstanding the traditional and personal views on topics of their choice. to adapt has meant that while other eagerly awaited Shanes Castle Game Whilst AJ’s Angst was written country magazine titles are only a fond Fair is at the planning stage already to exclusively by Albert we felt that with memory, this one, in spite of Covid, is take place next year. the expansion of the magazine and in a strong position to deliver what our In this edition you will find articles indeed sharing an international stage readers want. Importantly too our with an international flavour alongside with THE VIRTUAL GAME FAIR it advertisers recognise that this title others set in pastures much nearer to would be an excellent opportunity to continues to grow apace, and that no home. Here’s s a small indiction of widen its range of writers, topics and matter what the challenges are, we what’s in store. locations. expand our readership and continually Let’s start with something most of us Like Angst before it, I predict that seek to adopt what we do to make it can only dream about - A Macnab. This THE BACK PAGE will become the better for everyone. challenging feat first arose in a tale by very first page that readers turn to when To take an example, as you probably John Buchan’s story where the central they open Irish Country Sports either in know we are part of The Great Game characters aim was to shoot a stag, bring hard copy or the FREE TO READ Fairs of Ireland. You will certainly down grouse and catch a salmon all in edition found at know that this year it was not possible the one day. After many years trying, http://www.countrysportsandcountrylife to run the Irish Game Fair at Shanes Simon K Barr writes about eventually .com/magazine.htm Castle Antrim despite taking every achieving his dream in the Highlands. Or follow the link to the magazine precaution required under ongoing A trip to Germany for Steven when you drop in to THE VIRTUAL Covid 19 rules and regulations. It was a McGonigal sees him enjoy some GAME FAIR at great disappointment for the organisers exciting Teckel work but not before he https://www.thevirtualgamefair.com/ and the exhibitors and not least the hones his rifle skills to perfection. Then Paul Pringle, Editor 4 Winter 2020 Countrysports and Country Life Countryside News National Association of Regional Game Councils Hello Readers of Country Sports & Country life. As things stand ASSO AL CI N A TI here in the Republic, we are once again living under strict IO O T N A restrictions.